


RUN

by reall_pcy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Beakhyun and Yixing are brothers, ChanBaek - Freeform, Collage, Krisbaek - Freeform, M/M, Minseok is a slut, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, choir
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 15:03:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13033680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reall_pcy/pseuds/reall_pcy
Summary: Baekhyun tries not to get attached, because in the end, he's the one left behind.





	RUN

Baekhyun is looking through the dirty window, patiently waiting to identify his own reflection but all he sees are greasy stains of fingertips.  
His cozy bedroom is a huge mess.  
His closet, in which his expensive clothes used to be neatly folded and sorted by occasion, color and season are now piled up as a one big stinking mountain, due to not being washed for a long time.  
The floor is just as untidy as the closet, covered with more of Baekhyun’s clothes, practically swimming in dust and empty pizza boxes.  
The boy’s appearance is not much better either, his hair almost begging to be washed, skin slightly oily and slippery. It’s been more than a week since he’s showered (apart from ducking his head inside ice cold bathtub occasionally). His tired, sleepless eyelids are painted with smeared dark blue smoky and silver eyeliner, mixed in each other. The bags under his eyes, impossible to cover even with some concealer, are tinted by his mother’s purple mascara, dripping down till the pair of chapped and stress-bitten lips.  
All the mess is caused because his half-brother has left for Canada to get his degree.  
Doesn’t sound that horrible to make such a dramatic display, right?  
But it hurts to even breathe knowing his brother in not going to be cooking Baekhyun’s favorite spaghetti and meatballs when he bursts into apartment, drops his hefty backpack on marble floor and announces noisily that hungry wolf’s home. Then Baekhyun snuggles in Yixing’s arms and enthusiastically starts spilling how well his singing lessons went that day, tugging on the elder’s white apron. Baekhyun got him the apron while he was on a holiday in France. Kitchen bitch it said, in capital letters. So cliché.  
Yixing’s not going to be bustling in the kitchen anymore. It hurts.  
It hurts even more to admit that he's emotionally depended on his brother's presence.  
Baekhyun is five years old when his mom first brings Yixing home.  
“Baek, meet your older brother, Yixing” She announces, smiling at Baekhyun while patting her other son’s head.  
Baekhyun isn’t as dumbstruck as it happens in those dramas his mom watches every evening. He knows he has a brother that lives somewhere in China.  
He has heard a few things about Yixing, but he hadn’t really pain them any attention.  
“Nice to meet you, Baekhyun, my name is Yixing, please call me hyung. I am looking forward to living with you.” Yixing says in quite decent Korean, with slightest Chinese accent and bows his head. Baekhyun thinks that this whole formal introduction is stiff as hell, but he comes up with the conclusion it this is how they greet their long lost brothers in China so he just lets it go.  
“You wanna play Mario with me, hyung?” This is the only thing he could think of not to sound too weird or too impolite.  
Yixing beams at him, showing off his perfect white teeth and eagerly follows Baekhyun in his room with shy steps. That smile never wears off Yixing’s angelic face, never ceasing to light Baekhyun up every time.  
During the game, Baekhyun continuously defeats Yixing, but the elder doesn't whine or protest. He probably doesn't talk much either. It's a good thing he doesn't bore Baekhyun with nonsense. Baekhyun likes it. He could become friends with this dude. Maybe he could even share his favorite chocolate chip cookie with Yixing.  
Baekhyun misses how Yixing would scold him, when he’d try to steal homemade biscuits at midnight, lecturing why it was bad for Baekhyun’s health and mostly his skin and why it’d cause him nightmares. Baekhyun, as disobedient as he was, did everything exactly as Yixing commanded.  
Baekhyun misses how Yixing would kiss his temple when the younger was doing his homework and the older left for his evening classes.  
Right now, Baekhyun is recalling their late night talks.  
It was kind of like a routine for both Yixing and Baekhyun.  
Since Baekhyun had learned how to talk he's always been asking a lot of silly questions. But again, that's what all the children do. Back then when they lived in a small apartment, in suburbs of Seoul, brothers had to share a room. It was no problem for them, because they got along exceptionally well. Unlike the other kids in Baekhyun’s school, who would always complain how annoying that older siblings were, always mocking and teasing them.  
And Baekhyun thought he was lucky to have a brother like Yixing, and indeed he was.  
By the time Yixing would have finished his homework, a little before midnight (since he was a honor student, eager and motivated to learn) Baekhyun was most likely to be sleeping. But he tried, tried hard not to fall asleep, because when Yixing would be done, Baekhyun could ask him anything he wanted to know. He could ask any stupid question and no matter how ridiculous or stupid it was, Yixing would lovingly laugh, move closer and pat Baekhyun’s cute little head. He always answered. And there was no exception. Yixing always had an answer no matter how painful, embarrassing, shocking, and ordinary or disappointing it was. Because of that reason, Baekhyun thought that Yixing never lied.  
And it was the most significant for silly, tiny, elementary school student Baekhyun back then. It was the most important that Yixing never got annoyed when Baekhyun would bomb him with numberless questions. Their mom could also be regarded as a patient woman, but she could not go further than four or five questions. She either scoffed or just ignored her child. That’s what children never forget.  
So when Baekhyun first heard where clouds went at night, which came first, the chicken or the egg, why mommy and her boyfriend made painful sounds last night, why Santa Claus looked like that boyfriend this year, why the girl in her class suddenly started to bleed from her skirt and why using condom while doing the unspeakable was is essential, it was all from Yixing.  
Everything he knew, he knew from Yixing.  
One night, after a few months of Yixing’s arrival in Korea and the Byun family, Baekhyun was lying in his brother’s bed, letting the older boy stroke his hair.  
“I was so lonely, I had to play all my games alone and I didn’t have friends at all, hyung.” Baekhyun didn’t know where these words came from all of a sudden, but he felt the urge to be honest with Yixing. Maybe he could also trust him with his life.  
“Thanks Baek. It means a lot to me. I am glad we get along well. I will always be here for you. And if you don’t have any friends, you could play with me and Yifan anytime.” Yixing sounded content and a little blissful. Sincere too, what mattered the most.  
Baekhyun hummed in agreement. He fell asleep soon after, dreaming of huge toy shops where he ran across the stalls with Yixing.  
It was also Yixing who took care of Baekhyun’s throbbing purple bruise by the corner of his eye when he first got into fight with some bully at school.  
It was Yixing who took care of Baekhyun's broken heart, after Baekhyun heard that his all time crush Kim Taeyeon was moving to Japan to continue studying in an excellent school there. Baekhyun hadn’t even had a chance to confess and Taeyeon was gone in a blink of an eye.  
Baekhyun can recall how sorrowfully his brother had smiled back then, stroking his soft hair with his one hand and wiping the boy’s salty tears with his beautiful long fingers.  
"It's OK to cry Beak, but you just remember, first love never works out. So don't worry. It will go away soon"  
That day, Baekhyun didn't press harder and didn’t ask him about his tragic first love story. Instead, he held Yixing tight against his chest and cried until he could not anymore. Later, he fell asleep on his brother, while the elder was still carding through Baekhyun’s hair.  
And soon after that, obviously, Taeyeon was forgotten and Baekhyun’s pure heart was as good as new.  
Years passed and Baekhyun grew a fine, handsome boy. He was slightly shorter than his brother. His eyes were as gorgeous as always, but since Taemin, a boy from his class, had showed him how to apply eyeliner and make it look natural, Baekhyun almost never went out without it, and his eyes looked more dazzling and his glance even more intense. His lips and hips and butt were what all the girls loved staring at in awe. (Some boys too, but Baekhyun ignored the fact for his own good). His skin was all white, silky and smooth at touch. His legs and fingers were slender, long and perfect. Baekhyun’s appearance altogether was mouthwatering. He was the sweetest eye candy among freshmen and of course, he had girls and boys confessing left and right. Sadly, he was too occupied with his singing classes and homework (of course, it was his excuse to himself) so he rejected every single girl, and casually ignored boys.  
“The boy with blond hair, that confessed to you this morning, what’s his name?” Asked him once Jongin when they were munching on their lunches quietly. Kim Jongin was an individual, whom Baekhyun could easily call his best friend. After Yixing.  
“Sehun? Why tho?” Baekhyun answered while chewing on his sickly sweet croissant.  
“He seemed cute” Jongin’s cheeks flushed a little. He seemed a bit hesitant while saying it.  
But when he noticed Baekhyun’s surprised expression and raised eyebrow, he just humbly looked down at his food and went silent.  
As soon as Baekhyun came home, he dropped his heavy bag on the floor with an especially loud bang and sat down beside it, crossing his legs, expression unreadable, boring holes in the wall.  
Yixing looked up from his textbook a little startled and worried.  
“Baek, you scared me” He laughed nervously.  
“I think my friend is gay” Baekhyun blurt out and as he continued staring, blinking mindlessly several times.  
“Which one?” Yixing sipped his tea and cocked his head out of curiosity.  
“The one and only. Jongin”  
“And?”  
“What?” Baekhyun got confound by his brother’s question.  
What did he mean ‘and’?  
As if Yixing read his mind, he asked again.  
“You think your friend is gay, so?”  
Baekhyun had a hard time gathering his thoughts and feelings. So it was okay to be gay so casually? Weird.  
“I mean, I don’t know, but what if he really IS gay?”  
“Do you have a problem with the fact that your friend might enjoy kissing boys more?” Yixing was as rational as always, his tone soothing and reassuring.  
“I mean, should I?” Baekhyun felt nervous, because he didn’t know how to react.  
“I don’t think so” Yixing shrugged. “He seems like a nice and cheerful guy, frankly, I don’t see any problem.” Yixing talked so calmly that it made Baekhyun feel light too.  
“Yeah, sure. Jongin is great” He looked down at his feet, smiling as he pictured his sun-kissed friend and his careless laugh.  
And after this short talk, he was strangely okay with it too.  
Other than Baekhyun’s emotional supporter and guide, Yixing was also his hugging teddy bear. Baekhyun was super touchy, and Yixing didn’t seem to mind.  
It was pretty frequent to see Baekhyun cuddling Yixing during their bedtime, during their movie nights, and after a long tiring studying sessions. Yixing always held Baekhyun’s hands tightly, whenever the younger was stressed from school or feeling down. He would rub Baekhyun’s tiny palms with his thumb soothingly and slowly kiss his temple or forehead.  
Now the leftover one actually wondered who would sing him a lullaby and hold him during storms when he was scared and Yixing was gone.  
Needless to say, Yixing had his bad days too.  
Once, on an ordinary weekday, he came home earlier than he was supposed to. He went straight to his room, jumped in his bed without undressing or removing his shoes and started sobbing soundly out of blue.  
Baekhyun immediately draped his arms over crying boy and demanded to know what exactly got his big brother upset. Baekhyun was furious and so ready to protect Yixing.  
Yixing had somehow managed to fail his most important exam. It is still a mystery to Baekhyun how he managed to do that.  
They just laid and hugged. It tore Baekhyun’s heart to see his brother broken, and after a few attempts of not crying he broke into tears, sniffling.  
Yixing looked up from his brother’s strong grip and asked.  
"Why are you crying too?"  
“Because I can't watch you crying" Baekhyun’s voice cracked, not making any effort to wipe his tears.  
After a few moments of silence Yixing smacked his head. Hard. Baekhyun gaped out of surprise, not expecting this kind of reaction.  
"Byun Baekhyun, you dumbass" Yixing sniffled too and wrapped his hands around his brother’s shoulders.  
And so their relationship continued to be special and nearly ideal until entrance exam results were announced.  
And just like that, Yixing was going to Canada. For four years.  
Baekhyun knew his older brother had always wanted to study abroad. His eyes would lights up when he talked about how happy he would be if he managed to go overseas.  
Every time he did so, Baekhyun wanted to ask ‘What about me then, Yixing?’ But he couldn't bring himself to, aware of how selfish it sounded.  
But his heart throbbed out of pain every time nonetheless.  
He prayed Yixing not to do well in his exams. But he felt that it was not what he wanted, imagining how depressed and disappointed his brother would be.  
Last two months before Yixing's departure had been extremely painful for him. Baekhyun always remained silent during their movie nights, silently sobbing, and at the end he ended up apologizing for his selfishness. He cried in sleep too sometimes. And because of that, Yixing started feeling guilty for abandoning his precious little brother.  
Yixing would sometimes blame himself when their mother asked why Baekhyun had been acting so strange lately.  
And for that Baekhyun would feel even worse. He felt bad for making it harder for Yixing, who had it hard enough.  
Their parting scene was somewhat awkward and unpleasant, but emotional nonetheless, since Baekhyun was trying to hold himself from breaking down in front of hundreds of people, who all held suitcases and didn’t really care. It would also be a bad luck for his brother, so he decided not to fuck up more than he already had.  
Their mom did not get very sensitive, since she was flying with her son to help him settle down in a foreign country. But it was just for several days and she would soon be back to her baby Baekhyunnie.  
Yixing took Baekhyun’s hand in his own. They remained like that, quietly seated on hard and cold ground, hands entwined, both of them looking at huge screen absentmindedly, which told them that Yixing’s flight just started boarding. He had to go to the gates.  
Baekhyun’s heart sank. So this is really it.  
“I will call you as soon as the plane lands Baek.” A single teardrop fell down Yixing's cheek.  
Baekhyun held onto his brother’s grip tighter, not wanting to let go, ever. He couldn’t possibly let Yixing go, when there was no one else there for him. Okay, there was Jongin, but Baekhyun needed Yixing to survive.  
The flood of teardrops caressed the trail from his sleepless eye bags to his chin. He couldn’t just shove Baekhyun’s hand and walk away when he knew he was the boy’s only friend and hope.  
Baekhyun heard Yixing’s muffled “Sorry” in between his sobs before Yixing pecked his lips quickly, almost painfully and by the time he said one last goodbye, Baekhyun too had started crying desperately, his chest trembling.  
But he was too shaken and vulnerable to speak so instead he just nodded his head and beamed as enthusiastically as he could.  
Baekhyun pressed one more kiss on Yixing’s wet cheek.  
“I love you, Baek”  
He let go of Baekhyun’s hand and slowly stepped back to head to security check.  
Baekhyun stood there for a long time unable to proceed that after a long time of grieving, Yixing had finally left. And he’d probably left for good.  
Baekhyun watched as an enormous boeing engulfed the only peace of his mind. In that moment his heart opened up and Baekhyun knew his wounds weren’t going to heal anytime soon.  
***  
The sky is sullen the day Baekhyun decides to come out of his shell. Clouds above Seoul are gathered in an unfriendly manner. The air is polluted and sultry and it puts Baekhyun off to breathe at all.  
It’s six in the morning and the heart of South Korea remains serene and sedated, unlike its nature at night, when the city is full with hustle and bustle, drunken ahjussis and stressed people rushing home from work, the noise of traffic and bars filling it with life.  
The district Baekhyun calls his home is quite classy and fashionable. It is close to Gangnam, which causes severe traffics between six and eight o’clock. Wide avenues are swamped with crowds and while walking through them Baekhyun sometimes brushes his arm or shoulders against strangers’. He doesn’t really mind, because Baekhyun absolutely adores vibrant city life. He appreciates all the irritating sounds of police and ambulance sirens, constructing machines, annoyed folks on their phones, rush hour noises and horning cars. He enjoys watching various Samsung and Hyundai advertisements on the billboards featuring famous idols he also dreams of becoming one day.  
Baekhyun finds it relaxing to stare at luminous and costly apartment windows, thinking of what their inhabitants might be doing at this very moment. What kind of life they might be living. Are they happy? Are they anxious? Are they as defenseless as Baekhyun right now?  
Are they lonely?  
But mornings in Seoul are simply lifeless when it’s raining, especially today. All covered in blues and grey, as if it’s grieving someone.  
Baekhyun can relate.  
He recognizes familiar fast food stalls that reek of fish and oil, cafes with breathtaking smell of ground coffee, love hotels, offices, expensive brand shops and huge apartments. But as he observes closely he can make out one or two new Italian restaurants. Pizza would be just right in this moment, but Baekhyun isn’t hungry.  
He just wanders and observes for a good half an hour, until he sees it.  
A noraebang, crowded with groups of wasted people in the evening that are looking for a simple way to unwind after a stressful day at work. For a moment Baekhyun can’t help but wonder why this particular one is open this early in the morning.  
And suddenly, he comes up with an amazing idea.  
He takes his wallet out of his coat pocket to make sure he has right amount of money to afford an hour of this run down-looking karaoke bar. And a few bottles of soju, of course.  
The hostess shoots him a confused look as he steps in the bar, obviously surprised why this odd guy is willing and enthusiastic to sing his ass off at seven am. Alone. She’d rather sleep, clearly.  
The hostess, a chubby middle-aged woman asks Baekhyun for his ID card. Baekhyun knows he doesn’t look like he’s legal to drink, so he hands her his fake ID.  
God bless his graphic design skills.  
After twenty minutes, Baekhyun is singing and dancing to his all time favorite girl group. Meanwhile alcohol is slowly dissolving in his body, taking over his mind and tingling sensations in his head start to make him feel blissful.  
After three shots and a few more songs Baekhyun is on his knees and he is screaming. Screaming with all the power he has, forcing all the burden and doubts inside him to come out. His voice is already hoarse. Like a little cub, who is unsuccessfully attempting to roar like his lion father.  
He doesn’t exactly know why he’s screaming, though. His nerves are uneasy, his consciousness gradually fading out and his chest getting heavier and heavier within each breath.  
So he stops breathing.  
Soon his screams turn into desperate sobs.  
Baekhyun feels pathetic, because he is not able to endure still raw ache in his chest. The pain is excruciating. This is all new to him. He’s not used to being so helplessly alone, without any helping hand to reach out and hold him.  
Solitude is not his thing.  
Baekhyun misses Yixing. He supposes it is very natural to do so. He has lived his whole life with his precious brother, who’d been providing entire emotional comfort for Baekhyun, who made his living somewhat easier. In that very moment, Baekhyun realizes how defenseless he is without his brother, how much he had depended on him all these thirteen years. Since the moment they’ve played Mario together. Since the moment Baekhyun shared his one and only console with Yixing.  
And it’s so hard to smile without him around, so arduous and complicated to sleep without his reassuring pep talk and quiet snoring, without seeing his innocent and soft face before drifting off to sleep.  
Baekhyun knows that he should stop pitying himself, because it isn’t gonna help anyone. He has to stop feeling sorry for himself. He has to let go.  
And that’s what he’s going to try.  
His whole drained body falls. The floor looks unusually inviting right now. Like his brother’s arms. His eyes flutter closed. Soon after, the boy falls asleep.  
He dreams of Yixing’s radiant smile and a lullaby he used to hum Baekhyun every night, a lullaby about a bird who flew far away from home, seeking for an adventure and a new life. 

He doesn’t remember when he ends up on a warm leather couch, drooling on a fluffy pillow.  
Baekhyun half-heartedly lifts his pounding head, squeezing his swollen eyes shut. He looks around, vision turning into maze of white dots. He can’t concentrate well enough to investigate his whereabouts, but this is not his house and clearly not his precious filthy room.  
As far as Baekhyun can make out, he is in a living room, which looks nicely designed and quite expensive. He wishes he could afford an apartment like this one. One day, when will become a well-known and outstanding singer.  
But why exactly is he here? In a place he cannot recognize.  
Baekhyun panics for a moment, deciding to flee barefoot. What if he’s been kidnapped? Baekhyun had heard horrifying, disgusting stories about pedophiles and rapists who locked minors up in their basements, cuffed and abused them until. Until…  
He’d even heard about cannibals who assaulted and skinned virgins after raping them.  
Baekhyun doesn’t want to die, especially as a virgin.  
A delicate palm smacks Baekhyun’s head painfully. Baekhyun gasps in surprise and relief. There's a slight feeling of déjà vu.  
Jongin is standing in front of him, arms crossed and his skeptical look eating Baekhyun up whole. His glare screams fury. Baekhyun swallows nervously. This might just get worse than some psycho criminal situation.  
“Jonginnie?” Baekhyun whispers, hoping to ease the tension.  
“Don’t you dare Jonginnie me you little fart” His voice is low.  
The calm before the storm.  
Baekhyun goes still and stares at his feet. Never have his dirty white socks seemed so fascinating. Baekhyun wonders where his shoes might be hiding.  
“I’ve been ringing you for a week now.”  
Oh, some naughty boy is going to get lectured.  
“I thought something bad happened to you. Then I contacted your mom and she told me she hadn’t spoken to you for five days. She freaked out Baekhyun. Why did you never answer the calls?” Jongin is demanding. His tone is an octave higher. Though Baekhyun isn’t on the mood to answer anybody but Yixing, who had only called once after his arrival in Vancouver. Traitor.  
Baekhyun isn’t mentally prepared for this talk (as well as physically, maybe).  
“My phone was dead” A short pause. “Jonginnie, don’t be mad” Baekhyun bites his bottom lip, startled by his friend’s high pitched cry. His eyes are narrowed with disgust.  
“Don’t be mad? Don’t be mad?” He’s laughing, what seems almost hysterical.  
Baekhyun’s alcohol-stuffed head is throbbing heavily. His frightened instincts tell him it’s time to start running.  
“You vanish for a week and you want me to not be mad?” Jongin is shouting angrily now, fire dancing in his chocolate brown irises, staring intensely at Baekhyun like he’s trying to break him.  
“I was at-t home” Baekhyun mumbles. He is tired. He just wants to tangle in his blankets and get lost in them for forever.  
“At home? I came to your house this morning. I even asked your neighbors if they’d seen you. Guess what, they did NOT” Jongin is walking around the room mindlessly.  
“I went for a walk” Baekhyun mutters. His excuses sound miserable even to him and Jongin obviously isn’t buying any, even though all he says is true.  
“At seven in the morning? C’mon Baek, you never get up before afternoon on holidays.” He’s shaking his head in disbelief.  
Baekhyun has nothing to answer, so Jongin continues.  
“When I was on my way to report your disappearance, some waitress talked me through your phone and told me you passed out on the floor, drunk”  
Oh yeah, so that’s what happened. Baekhyun wants to throw up. He feels miserable.  
“Do you even realize you are not old enough to drink yet?” Baekhyun is getting scolded by a person two years younger than him. He should at least be embarrassed. Jongin sits on a table beside the couch, but gets up instantly, clearly unable to stay still.  
Baekhyun would gladly wrap his arms around his pissed off friend and call him mommy.  
But he’d rather not.  
“I just wanted to go out and unwind, okay? S’not a big deal. I’ve done it few times before.” Jongin breathes in deep as if he’s trying not to lose his temper entirely. He pretends Baekhyun hasn’t said anything.  
“I thought you had an alcohol poisoning. I couldn’t even take you to hospital, Baek. They would treat you and arrest you for underage alcohol consummation. You’d be in a deep shit”  
True, the least thing Baekhyun needs is to be arrested. Bright singing career awaits him. He can’t be taken into custody for such petty thing.  
Baekhyun lets his head sink in his small but elegantly-shaped hands.  
“I couldn’t take you to my place either, my parents would go crazy if they saw you unconscious. We are at my cousin’s”  
That explains why everything looks so unfamiliar.  
Baekhyun has spent countless nights at Jongin’s. Two friends always slept together in Jongin’s comfortable king-sized bed. They hang out there each Thursday, playing random console games and sometimes they study as well.  
Baekhyun hadn’t even known Jongin had a cousin until this very moment.  
The wave of realization hits him. He’s been a one big jerk this whole time, causing trouble to everyone. To his family, to Jongin and even to Jongin’s cousin.  
He hadn’t considered other people’s feelings at all. He’s been too busy being depressive dependent piece of shit. Now Baekhyun is ashamed, genuinely.  
He hadn’t even thought about his friends or mom recently. The only thing on his mind had been Yixing. Baekhyun knows he’s a selfish bastard.  
At the end, he ended up like this. Wasted and dejected.  
Jongin has every right to be exasperated. Baekhyun would be too, but he wouldn’t dare show up at Kyungsoo’s place to rescue his drunken friend. He’d rather go straight to the police station and turn himself in.  
Jongin has helped him out of big trouble.  
“Sorry Jonginnie” Baekhyun jumps from the couch directly into his friend’s arms, who stumbles out of surprise but wraps his arms around Baekhyun nonetheless. “I’m so sorry.”  
“Ah, you silly boy, Baek” Jongin kisses the top of Baekhyun’s forehead, drawing imaginary circles on his back, holding the older boy tight.  
Jongin knows exactly how to make him feel relaxed. He’s the only friend Baekhyun has left now that his Yixing is gone.  
It feels always so comforting to be hugged by him. Baekhyun never wants to let go.  
“Sorry mom” He nuzzles in Jongin’s neck and the boy chuckles at his nickname.  
“Let’s get you some aspirin, baby boy” Jongin opens the closest drawer, without breaking the hug. Baekhyun supposes Jongin likes hugging him too, so he leans in closer.  
After a while of his hand exploring the draw, Jongin shouts.  
“Minseok hyung!”  
Minseok is short and gracious. He is wearing huge ugly-ass dog slippers which are literally swallowing his height and making him look even shorter. Painfully tight leather pants highlight his thick, muscular thighs. Baekhyun’s never seen pants this stiff, almost inflexible. There are barely visible white stains on Minseok’s knees and Baekhyun hopes it’s not what first comes to his mind. His eyes travel upwards and he nearly gasps at sight. Minseok is shirtless, and wow, he is not by any means thin or skinny but that doesn’t make him any less sexy. His hands are toned, muscles well-developed, single vein popping up. His waistline is curvy. Baekhyun gulps audibly. He has no six-pack but his abdomen is still nice to stare at. Baekhyun wants to lick Minseok’s glowing-white chest and neck. He doesn’t know where all the sexual frustration came from, maybe because Minseok’s face is kind of girly? A sex god body with a bunny-cute face. Weird.  
Bunny-boy seats himself on the couch comfortably.  
“Hi, Baekhyun! I’m Minseok” He looks up at Baekhyun, smiling radiantly, setting his white teeth and Baekhyun is patiently waiting for a toothpaste advertisement glowing effect.  
“Uh, hi” He mumbles, slightly overwhelmed and weirded out. His throat is dry.  
“Hyung, what the hell” Jongin panics “Why are you shirtless? Don’t freak Baekhyun out” He covers Baekhyun’s eyes with his sweaty palm and wraps another hand protectively around his torso.  
“C’mon Jongin, let your kid appreciate this beauty” He whispers seductively and Baekhyun really attempts to peer through the gap between Jongin’s fingers.  
“Put your shirt on right now, hyung!” Jongin shouts unexpectedly and Baekhyun shudders.  
“Jeez, okay mom” Bunny doesn’t protest and when Jongin lets Baekhyun out of his grip, he’s already gone.  
“Sorry about that” Jongin nervously laughs and slides a hand into his greasy hair.  
“I don’t know why you’ve been hiding a cousin like that for this long.” Baekhyun smirks and sits where the bunny previously did. Jongin give him that what the hell are you mumbling face so he blurts out.  
“I mean, he’s quite sexy” Baekhyun is surprised by his own words but surprisingly, he doesn’t regret saying them.  
“I heard that” Distant call comes from another room and Baekhyun blushes. He can hear the bunny smirking.  
“Since when have you been into boys, Baekie?” Jongin is slightly annoyed. Since never, Baekhyun wants to say, but the mood has been lighten up not so long ago and it’s a good chance to change the subject so he decides to tease.  
“And what’s wrong with being into boys, Kim Jongin?” He licks his lips in mockery and smirks.  
“Shut up” Jongin narrows his eyes and huffs.  
Bunny enters the room and now he’s wearing a long-sleeved blue transparent t-shirt and black boots instead of slippers. Leather pants stay where they were.  
“Hyung, are you going out, or? We can leave if you…” Jongin asks but bunny ignores him and sits close beside Baekhyun, so close that their thighs are touching and Baekhyun is taken aback by sudden hotness in his gut. And bunny sure doesn’t look like a regular bunny with his eyeliner on.  
“Wanna go out grab some girls, cutie? Jongin’s coming too.” Minseok radiates lightness and happiness.  
Baekhyun thinks it’s a good idea. He needs to go out and unwind, properly this time. Without losing his consciousness and being depressed piece of crap. He’s a teenager and it’s what people his age do. They go out and have fun. Maybe Minseok’s and Jongin’s company can help him get over his problem for a night. Baekhyun doesn’t want to go home anyway. He’s fed up being alone.  
Then he remembers what a mess he looks like right now, how badly he needs to shower and get changed because his plain outfit certainly isn’t a match for Minseok’s provocative one. He can’t seduce a mouse like that, let alone some girls in a club.  
“I’d love to but I could really use a good night’s sleep right now” It’s a pity he has to deny. “Maybe some other time?” He offers a genuine smile and it’s a relief that Minseok doesn’t press harder.  
“Sure thing sweetheart, let me know when you and Jongin want to tag along.” Minseok reaches for something in his coat’s inner pocket and a second later he’s writing unintelligible numbers on a back of Baekhyun’s hand. Minseok licks the corner of his lower lip and puts the pen back in pocket.  
“Why do you carry around a pen?” Jongin asks amused.  
“For occasions like this.” Baekhyun blushes. “Hit me up sometime, cutie. There will be many girls in my choir who’d love to meet you. No one as pretty as you, though.” He winks and Baekhyun tries to not be shaken up by hardcore flirting from a GUY so he focuses on another part.  
“You are in a choir?”  
Minseok hums in consent.  
“Baekhyun sings too” Jongin points out.  
“Mhmm, interesting. Exactly my cup of tea.” He slowly checks him out with a sexy smirk and leaves the boy embarrassed. Baekhyun wishes he had combed his hair. Minseok is definitely hitting on him.  
“Thank you for helping me today” Baekhyun bows his head and mutters, unsure what other to say.  
“Anytime puppy” Minseok squeezes Baekhyun’s shoulder and shoots up from couch. “See you again?” He raises a brow.  
“Of course, Minseok-ssi” Baekhyun smiles politely.  
“Don’t forget to lock the door, Jongin-ah” Minseok slams the front door behind him.  
Suddenly Baekhyun feels tired. He leans back on the couch and exhales.  
“I know, he can be too extreme. Just tell him if you feel uncomfortable and he’ll back off immediately.”  
“Wanna cuddle me tonight?” Baekhyun asks and Jongin jumps on him in an instant.  
“YESSS” Jongin shrieks from the thrill and hugs Baekhyun tightly.  
In that moment, Baekhyun thinks of Yixing. 

That night, as a loyal friend, Jongin cuddles Baekhyun through his sleep, spooning him from behind. It is pleasing and comforting, but nothing like the way Yixing used to hold Baekhyun, as if he was the most precious thing in the world. But Baekhyun likes how Jongin nuzzles his sculpted nose in his own shoulder. He could get used to it.  
When Baekhyun starts to drift off, he hears Jongin unintelligibly murmuring something. Baekhyun reluctantly opens his heavy eyelids as he comprehends his own name being pronounced.  
“Baek...” Jongin whispers in a hushed voice, trying not to startle his friend.  
“Hmm” Baekhyun sleepily braces himself for a rather motherly scolding or a demand of a promise that nothing similar will occur to him anytime soon.  
“Did I fail, as a friend?” It seems to catch Baekhyun off guard. Jongin’s sweet voice is filled with bare sadness and disappointment. He sounds like he has lump in his throat and Baekhyun swears he is at the edge of tearing up.  
Baekhyun doesn’t know how to answer.  
“No, what? Why would you think that?” Baekhyun rolls at his right to face Jongin. The latter doesn’t answer for what feels like an eternity and Baekhyun is gradually getting more and more scared.  
“I should have been there for you when your brother left.” He exhales slowly “Before he left.”  
Baekhyun feels a sharp knife stabbing in his back. His heart’s in pain. He would rather be put through the fire than hear this.  
He is a jerk for making Jongin think he is not good enough, because it’s the opposite. Jongin has helped him many times. Too many times to count. He’s helped Baekhyun with his Japanese homework, with sneaking out of the classes early, with extra bowls of rice at lunches, with his awkward situations with Taeyeon. What he did today though was incomparable to those little moments. He could have been arrested. Baekhyun knows he’s been a shit friend, ignoring Jongin for a long time because he couldn’t deal with his insecurities. Baekhyun can’t stand seeing Jongin’s hurt and desperate expression and though he is never one to comfort, he drapes his hand around his friend’s broad shoulders and scoots closer. Baekhyun doesn’t know how to deal with crying people who are in need of reassuring words, sweet nothings and sense of steadiness, but he is going to try.  
Being honest, he assumes, is what is going to help him out this time.  
“Don’t cry Nini, you are the only one left for me” And as much as it hurts to say this, Baekhyun admits that he has to let his brother go, because it doesn’t affect just him, but also a person that’s important to him. And because Yixing is gone and Jongin is here, he’s going to try hard for his Nini.  
“I’ll be good to you from now on. I promise” Baekhyun buzzes as he feels confidence sinking into him. Jongin just nods silently and hides his face in Baekhyun’s chest. Baekhyun cards the younger’s hair for a few minutes, humming the instrumental of Stay With Me. Jongin’s favorite soundtrack from his favorite drama.  
Eventually Jongin’s uneven breathing gets quieter and Baekhyun feels the ghost of plush wet lips pressing his forehead before spacing out.  
After that night, life gets less gloomy and more puzzling in an exciting way.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to tell me what you think.  
> I live for comments ~~


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